Video: Your company's business

How often are you asked the question, what do you do for a living? How do you respond? Your response to this question reveals a lot about how well you understand your market, a critical aspect of becoming savvy. Most people will answer that question by giving their job title. I'm a Sales Executive, for example. However, that answer, while accurate, is incomplete. Every business is different. A Sales Executive in a chemical company is providing something completely different than a Sales Executive in a graphic design business.

Join author and business coach Dave Crenshaw as he shows you the company, market, and customer focus that strategic leaders employ to make business decisions and anticipate new trends. This course shows you how to make crucial and insightful connections between your company's needs and future and those of the market you operate in and the customers you serve.

Discover how you can identify trends, gather and address customer feedback, and proactively deliver what your company needs for competitive advantage.

This course is one of a series of five Dave Crenshaw courses based on his Invaluable teaching methodology for professional development.

Your company's business

How often are you asked the question, what do you do for a living?How do you respond?Your response to this question reveals a lot about how well you understand yourmarket, a critical aspect of becoming savvy.Most people will answer that question by giving their job title.I'm a Sales Executive, for example.However, that answer, while accurate, is incomplete.Every business is different.A Sales Executive in a chemical company is providing something completelydifferent than a Sales Executive in a graphic design business.

Think about the company that you work for right now.What market is it in?What is its geographic reach?Is it international?Is it just your local neighborhood, or something in between?Next, consider what industry your company is involved in.Are you in banking, business services, education?Identify that industry.Finally, distinguish between your company's features and its benefits.The features are what you provide.

Let's say we provide haircuts.If someone asks you what you do for a living, you might simply say, I cut hair.But what is it that you're really providing when you cut someone's hair.Aren't you providing a better self- image, and perhaps more confidence?Aren't you improving the quality of life for your customers in some way?These are the benefits.How are the features and benefits that your company provides different thanother businesses that provide a similar service?Understanding the differences between your business and other businessesthat provide a similar service, will help you see how it fits in the market as a whole.

I'll talk more about why this is so important in the next video.For now, just take some time to identify your company's market and industry, andwhat features and benefits it provides.

Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about Thinking Like a Leader .

Here are the FAQs that matched your search "" :

Expand all | Collapse all

please wait ...

Q: This course was updated on 01/03/2012. What changed?

A: This course was retitled, streamlined, and refined throughout, resulting in a slightly shorter runtime. We also added new graphics and a new welcome movie.

Sorry, there are no matches for your search "" —to search again, type in another word or phrase and click search.

Learn by watching, listening, and doing, Exercise files are the same files the author uses in the course, so you can download them and follow along Premium memberships include access to all exercise files in the library.

Already a member ?

Learn by watching, listening, and doing! Exercise files are the same files the author uses in the course, so you can download them and follow along. Exercise files are available with all Premium memberships.
Learn more

Upgrade to our Annual Premium Membership today and get even more value from your lynda.com subscription:

“In a way, I feel like you are rooting for me. Like you are really invested in my experience, and want me to get as much out of these courses as possible this is the best place to start on your journey to learning new material.”— Nadine H.

Thanks for signing up.

We’ll send you a confirmation email shortly.

Sign up and receive emails about lynda.com and our online training library:

new course releases

newsletter

general communications

special notices

Here’s our privacy policy with more details about how we handle your information.

Keep up with news, tips, and latest courses with emails from lynda.com.

Sign up and receive emails about lynda.com and our online training library:

new course releases

newsletter

general communications

special notices

Here’s our privacy policy with more details about how we handle your information.